Choosing Between Tooth Bonding & Dental Veneers

But they differ in several respects. That means you have to weigh the pros and cons of each before deciding which is best for you.

Dental Veneers: What You Need To Know

A delicately thin shell, dental veneers are custom-crafted porcelain shells that fit over your teeth. They’re made to fit only you so they line up with your gumline comfortably and naturally.

Veneers, by design, are made to replicate the fine translucence of real tooth enamel. This allows them to radically improve your smile’s appearance, but not in a way that looks fake or artificial.

One of the most fascinating thing about veneers is how strong they are despite their thin design. In fact, veneers are strong enough to keep any damage on your tooth from getting worse, oftentimes for as much as a couple of decades!

The kind of surface flaws veneers hide are things like:

-Cracks

-Chips

-Gaps

-Overlapping teeth

-Misshapen or disproportionate teeth

While they’re pretty impressive in terms of the vast scope of cosmetic problems they solve, veneers do take some time. They have to be made in a lab so that they fit you perfectly. They’re also something Dr. Garrett needs to make room for on your teeth. That means you’d have to have some of your tooth enamel removed to help them fit naturally.

Bonding: The Good & The Bad

Dental bonding, or tooth bonding, has been around for many years. It’s a method that uses tooth-colored resin to fill tiny cosmetic imperfections on your teeth. Because the resin is tooth-colored, it can also whiten your teeth fairly well.

It’s less expensive than dental veneers because it can easily be done in one visit and doesn’t require the longer prep time in a lab that custom veneers need.

But bonding does have some limitations that dental veneers don’t.

The Advantages Of Dental Veneers

Even after you’ve had dental bonding, you can still have stained teeth. Over time, the resin will take on the pigments of your foods and drinks.

That’s more strain on your pocketbook because it’s something you’d have to do again to keep your smile bright white.

Veneers are stain resistant. That’s why dental veneers are often called the permanent teeth whitening treatment because they can last for decades.

Also, tooth bonding doesn’t do quite as well as veneers in hiding dark teeth stains or significant damage like chips and cracks. The resin can only do so much to cover and protect your teeth, so again, veneers have the upper hand.

Schedule A Cosmetic Consultation

Cosmetic dentistry can have a profoundly positive impact on your life. Choosing the right treatment is a very personal choice. Your smile goals aren’t going to look exactly like the next person’s.

That’s why, if you really want to know for sure if dental veneers are the best choice for you, a cosmetic consultation with Dr. Garrett is your first step!

No matter which direction you go with cosmetic dentistry, the end result is the same when you trust Carolina Bright Smiles. That’s because you’ll come away from the experience with a stunning smile that you’ll love!

Call our Hillsborough, NC dental office today at 919-296-0409 or fill out our online form to schedule an appointment.